[4][5][6] The family home where he grew up included a large lot upon which an ice hockey rink was constructed each winter, where he and his friends played as youths.

[7][8] Fitsell was a lifelong fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and stated his favourite player was Charlie Conacher, since they both played as a right winger.

[8] In the 1930s, Fitsell began a lifelong hobby of a scrapbook containing newspaper articles, photographs and other memorabilia related to the Maple Leafs.

[1] From the early 1950s, Fitsell was involved in the community as a minor ice hockey coach and convenor in Gananoque and Kingston, Ontario.

[1] In March 1961, Fitsell attended a game in Gananoque where a 13-year-old Bobby Orr was discovered by scouts from the Boston Bruins while playing on a team from Parry Sound during the provincial playoffs.

[11][13] Fitsell wrote five books during his career,[2] including a biography of Captain James T. Sutherland and the effort to establish the Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston.

[7] According to Fitsell's daughter, he did not have a car nor a driver's license until after aged 40, since he was scared of driving due to reporting on accidents for many years.

[4] Fitsell received an honour award from the Ontario Minor Hockey Association in 1967 for distinguished service, and the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1993.

[1][2] The archives of Queen's University at Kingston keeps fonds of Fitsell's historical collections, research and writing on ice hockey.